Lessons Learned
by Zaxxon
Summary: Alternate Universe. Old fic I wrote.... Highlander: The TV Series crossed with Star Trek: Next Generation... Will continue eventually... :
1. Chapter One

Lessons Learned  
by Shaule Sachs  
Part 1  
  
cat std_disclaimer.h  
The characters in this story that are familiar belong to other  
companies. The character of "Zaxxon Hunter" belong solely to me and  
cannot be used without permission from me. Original characters have  
been added in order to fill out the story. This story is written   
and copyrighted for the sole reason of the writer's enjoyment.  
Permission is given to the archiving of this story. Alternations   
are prohibitted.   
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  
  
[Park outside of Seacouver, Washington, USA  
Before "Chivalry "  
4:45 am, September 5, 1996]  
  
The park in the early morning was empty. THe park's only inhabits  
were the squrrels and otehr park creatures. Very few people came here   
in the morning, most came in the afternoon to relax, have a picnic,   
or just get out of the city. Today was a typical day for the park and   
its denizens, up until now.  
There was a dark fog moving into the park. If a person had seen  
it, they would have noticed a number of things about the fog. The  
first was, it came from nowhere. Second, it was moving against the wind  
as the fog came into the park while the wind blow out. Thirdly, the  
fog did not dissipate, like a normal fog did. Instead it taked lumped  
together. Finally, there were three figures in the fog.  
The first of the three to emerge from the fog was a man. The man   
had strawberry hair with a touch of gray in his temples and was less   
than six feet tall. He stood looking around his surroundings with a   
practiced eye. No detail escaped the blue eyes of the man. The black   
pants seemed to fade into the still darken morning, while the red top   
of the outfit did not blend in as well as the black. It, too, was not   
obvious to the eye. On the man's right hip was some type of silver   
box in a odd-looking holder while on his left hip was a handle to   
something. It, too, was in a rectangular-shaped holder. The arrow-shape   
emblem on the man's chest, reflected a small amount of light as the   
man moved around. Five pins in a row stood out on the man's right   
collar. They too, like the emblem on the chest, reflected the light.   
The man motioned for his two companions to join him. The next to emerge   
from the fog was a woman, who was wearing a similar outfit to  
the man, except where he had red, she had yellow. Just as the man's red  
complemented his strawberry hair, the woman's yellow seem to fit her  
blonde hair. She was but four inches shorter than the man. Despite the  
gray temples of the man, the woman appeared older, until you looked  
into the man's eyes, than it was obvious that the man was far older  
than the woman. Her blue eyes seemed duller than the man's. She too  
locked around in a similar manner that the man had used, but with less  
confidence and less understanding of what she was looking at. Like the  
man, she too had the silver box and the broom-handle at her sides.  
Unlike the man, however, she took the silver box out of its holder,  
unfolded the lower top part, and began to walk away slightly while   
turning completely around. The man frowned at her but said nothing.   
His attention was on the third companion.  
The man re-entered the fog and helped the third out. The third  
was a man like the first but dressed with the yellow top of the woman.  
Where the woman had three full pins on her collar, the second man had  
only two whole pins and a hollow pin. Unlike his companions, the third  
person to step out of the fog had golden skin. It was the color like  
gold and not like a tan that the other two had. His eyes were the same  
gold color as his skin. The golden eyes seems to be staring at nothing   
until a moment passed and then rested on the other man. The man looked   
at his companion for a moment and asked, "Better?"  
The golden man blinked his eyes a few times and replied, "Yes,  
Commodore."  
The one addressed as 'Commodore' simply nodded his head, looked   
towards the woman and asked in a voice that knew the answer, "Get  
anything?"  
The woman stopped what she was doing, looked down at the silver  
object, and looked at the Commodore saying, "No. Only the /park's/   
plant life is in range."  
The Commodore simply shook his head, put out his silver object,  
and handed it to the golden man saying, "Here, Data, you and Jo Ann,  
take my tricorder and see if, along with yours, you can find something  
useful while I go into town and get some stuff to make us less  
conspicuous."  
Data, the golden man, simply nodded his head while accepting the  
Commodore's tricorder, unfolded it, and held it up against his own.  
"But..." Jo Ann began.  
"I know the area better than you, I've done something similar  
before, and I'm the ranking officer here," the Commodore answered the  
unspoken question. The first two sentences were spoken seriously,   
while the last  
was said in a humorous tone.  
"Right," Jo Ann said sadly.  
"I'll be back before noon," the Commodore said before leaving.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
[Joe's Bar  
8:45 pm, September 4, 1996]  
  
"Pull up a chair," Joe Dawson said to his guest, "And join us."  
Joe and some of the other local Watchers were sitting around one of  
the larger round tables with an obvious card game going.  
The guest was six feet and had white hair. The white hair was  
natural, not due to old age, and at odds with his dirt-brown eyes. He  
easily pulled the chair facing away from the door out and sat down.  
Joe threw some gambling chips and said to the group, "Meet Doctor   
Zaxxon Hunter, head of the Origins Project. Zax, these are the  
locals." Pointing to the person on his right and going around Joe  
pointed and named each Watcher present to Zax. First was Mike Barrett,  
who bartended for Joe. Next was Charles and Mary Smith, who were  
unassigned at the moment. Both were fortyish and thinking about  
retiring. While young John Xing was just out of college learning the  
ropes. Everyone said 'hi' to Zax.  
Joe, who was dealing, added Zax to the game after the current  
hand was played. After playing for half an hour, the pile of chips in  
front of Zax grew to be slightly more than in front of the others.  
"Either step in or step out. Regardless, close the door," Zax said  
suddenly. Everyone, but Zax, looked up as a person entered the closed  
bar.  
"You're fifteen minutes early, Tom," Joe said after the stranger  
entered the bar.  
Tom handed over a bunch of reports to Joe and said, "Here they  
are. Who's he?" Tom points to Zax.  
"Thomas Johnson, this is Zax Hunter, Origins Project," Joe  
answered.  
"Nice to meet you, Thomas," Zax said and they shook hands.  
"Call me Tom," Tom replied. "Origins Project? Sounds  
interesting."  
"It's just speculation at this point," Zax said, "Basically, we  
try to backtrack an Immortal as far back as we can. The newer  
Immortals are easier but still a mystery."  
"Can I transfer?" Tom asked Joe.  
Before Joe could answer, Zax replied, "At the moment, we've got  
the same priority as the Methos Project has. Which is to say, very  
little. If there's an opening, we'll see."  
"Thanks," Tom said cheerfully as he left.  
  
After Tom left, the game resumed with the normal chit-chat.  
Charles enjoyed telling stories of the previous Immortals he had  
watched with Mary adding some details when young John was confused.  
The game took second play to the war stories Charles, Mary, and Joe  
told.  
It was close to eleven when Zax said again, "Either in or out,  
regardless close the door. There's a draft."  
"Sorry," said the voice.  
Charles and Mary's head both came up at the same time. John  
looked to the others, not understanding. Mike and Joe, both wore  
frowns on their faces. Zax merely placed his cards down and started to  
sort and stack the chips in front of him.  
"What can I do for you, Mac?" Joe asked quietly.  
Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod smiled as he looked at John,  
who tried to become one with his chair, turned back to Joe and said,  
"I'm going to be in Toronto for a couple of days, possibly longer, and  
I thought you, being *my* Watcher, would like to come with me instead  
of wasting gas by following me."  
Charles, Mary, and John's eyes widened to the point that their  
pupils were lost. Mike just shook his head. Zax turned to Joe and  
said, "Go on, I'll help Mike close up."  
Joe thought a moment and said, "Sure. Let me get my coat. You'll   
tell me why you're going there, right?"  
"Sure," Duncan said. "On the way. I want to be there before  
dawn. Jackson does not like to be kept waiting."  
"Right," Dawson replied.  
  
"Of all the nerve!" Mary said after Duncan and Dawson left.  
"I don't know... Sounds practical to me," Charles said to his  
wife.  
"Hmm," was all Mary replied.  
"Can we continue the game?" Zax asked everyone.  
"But we lost a player!" exclaimed John.  
Zax shrugged and said, "Happens."  
Zax took over the dealings and handed out the cards. Mike placed  
Joe's chips to the side, out of the way of the game.  
"Close the door already, kid, you're letting the cold air in,"  
Zax said.  
"Sorry," the kid replied. "Am I late?"  
"No, kid," Zaxxon said with a smile. "Always room for more. This   
is Adam Pierson." Indicating Adam as he continued, "He's the  
researcher on the Methos Project."   
"Pierson? Pierson.... I remember that name," Charles said.  
"You're the fool who made that disk thingy that Kalas took."  
"Which was destroyed," Adam shoot back.  
"Technology! Who needs it," Charles shouted.  
"Don't mind my husband, Mister Pierson. I, for one, enjoy and  
appreciate what you've done for us. The WatchNet makes it easy to  
communicate and pass information to other Watchers all over the World.  
All that, plus you're work on the legendary 'Methos.' You sure are a  
busybody," Mary said.  
Adam smiled and said, "Thank you...."  
"Mary Smith, and this is my husband, Charles," Mary supplied.  
"We're a team. Currently between assignments, after our poor, dear  
Diko left her head. All she wanted to be was a teacher but the Game   
caught up with her."  
"That 'poor, dear' Diko was over two thousand years old and   
took, at least, a hundred heads in that time," Charles said.  
"Let's just continue the *card* game, shall we," Adam said.  
  
"Call," John said as the game continued.  
"I'll see you and raise you twenty," Adam said.  
"How long have you known Adam, Zax?" Mary asked.  
Adam looked startled, not to many people thought of him except as  
'Adam Pierson,' young college student. He looked at Zax to see how he  
answered the question.  
"All of his life," Zax answered evenly, "I was his second  
reference for joining."  
"Oh?" Mary said, "You knew Mr. Pierson's parents?"  
"Yes, as a matter of fact," Zax answered. "Wonderful couple. It  
was a shame that Mrs. Pierson died in childbirth."  
"Oh? I'm sorry," Mary said to Adam.  
"It's okay," Adam said, "It was a long time ago." // A really  
long time ago. //  
"You're father?" Mary inquired.  
"He's dead. Dead of a heart attack, nine years ago," Adam  
replied. "Let's stop talking about the Past and continue with the  
game."  
  
"I got it, Mike, you can go home now," Zax said.  
"I'll help with the rest," Adam said.  
"Okay. It's been a long day for me," Mike said before he left.  
Adam went and locked the front door after Mike. When he came  
back, he asked Zax, "Did you really know *my* parents?"  
Zax looked hurt and said, "Yes, I said I knew *your* parents, kid.   
As I said, they were a wonderful couple. You take after your mother, you  
know, kid."  
"No, I wouldn't know," Adam returned. "How many millenniums do I  
have to survive before you stop calling me a 'kid?'"  
  
[=== End of Part 1 ===] 


	2. Chapter Two

Lessons Learned  
by Shaule Sachs  
Part 2  
  
#include   
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  
  
[Park outside of Seacouver  
11:45 am, September 5, 1996]  
  
"I'm back," the Commodore said. In his arms were three bags. He  
handed one to Jo Ann. He was wearing a trench coat, Jo Ann noted.  
"What?" Jo Ann asked.  
"The current style is not StarFleet regulation uniforms," the  
Commodore replied. "Unless, you're to a Star Journey convention."  
The Commodore smiled.  
"Okay. Do I want to know how you know my size?" Jo Ann asked.  
"No comment," the Commodore laughed.  
"Rick..." Jo Ann began.  
"It's Richie here. The 'Rick' part won't come for another fifty  
years," Richie cut in.  
"Fine. Rich*ie*, where do I change?" Jo Ann asked.  
"Behind Data, if you're modest," Richie answered. So saying, he  
removed two outfits from the other bag and handed one to Data, who  
proceeded to change facing Richie. Both Jo Ann and Data had simple  
coats, shirts, and pants.  
After finishing changing Richie put the two uniforms into the  
first bag and the tricorders and phasers into the second. From the  
third bag Richie pulled out a bottle of cosmetics.  
"You shouldn't have," Jo Ann said as she reached for the bottle  
but Richie just brushed her hand's away.  
"I didn't. This is to make Data look more Human. There are no  
golden skin humans around you know," Richie said as he started to  
apply the makeup to Data's face and hands. "The makeup is water proof,  
even though Data doesn't sweat, it might rain, and should last a  
couple of days."  
After some time, Data looked slightly pale but normal human-pink  
skin instead of a metallic gold color. A pair of contacts changed his   
eyes blue and a wig of blonde hair completed the disguise.  
"Even Doctor Soong would have trouble identifying you as a synthoid,"  
Richie said. A look from Data cause Richie to add, "We're not starting  
*that* argument while we're on this *mission*. *That's* an order,  
Lieutenant Commander Data."  
"Very well, Commodore Ryan," Data responded.  
"Good." Richie Ryan nodded. "I've got us a couple of rooms at the   
local hotel to serve as our field headquarters. Let's go people."  
  
Data took the three tricorders out of the bag they were in and  
set them up on the table in the hotel room. After making some  
connections, he turned to Richie and said, "From this elevation we  
should be able to scan the entire city and slightly past the borders."  
"How long until a full scan of the city will be completed?"  
Richie asked.  
"With only three tricorders and no starship mainframe to link to,  
our processing power is cut down to a tenth of the normal away mission  
capacity. I estimate that the time required to process all the data  
will be two hours, thirty-three minutes, and twelve seconds," Data  
answered.  
"Okay... Jo Ann and I will scout around to see if we can find  
anything. Data, you'll stay here and continue the scan," Richie said.  
After dying the gray out of his hair, he handed Jo Ann her phaser and   
comm-pin while placing his own in his pocket.  
  
"Where to boss?" Jo Ann asked with a smile.  
Richie thought a moment and said, "Duncan's in Toronto with Joe  
for the week, Connor's in New York, and Amanda and Methos are in Paris.  
The closest Immortal is west of here in Seattle. So why here and why   
now? Doesn't make sense. Unless...."  
"Unless what?" Jo Ann asked. "Where were you now?"  
"Huh? Oh, me, I was in Los Angles. Motorcycle races and the like  
for about a month. So what's Ray after?" Richie asked no one in  
particular.  
"I don't know, but that's what we're here to stop," Jo Ann said.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
[Joe's Bar  
10:00 pm, September 10, 1996]  
  
"So how's the 'Methos' project coming?" Charles asked Adam.  
"Not bad," Adam answered. "I found a possible sighting of Methos   
in the Jean-Claude Chronicle. It was recorded in 1754. Jean-Claude's  
Watcher believed that Methos, not Jean-Claude, defeated Mikal Zinoski  
instead of what Mikal Zinoski's Watcher wrote. Jean-Claude had just  
turned five *hundred* years old and Mikal was five years shy of two  
*thousand* years. Jean-Claude is good, but ...."  
"Yeah," Tom said, "Jean-Claude's my assignment. I've seen him  
fight. He could have taken Mikal."  
"Maybe," Adam repeated, "but Methos did not want to take the  
chance... I guess."  
"But what was Methos' interest in such a *young* Immortal,"  
Charles asked. "Raise you five, Tom."  
"From what I've read of Jean-Claude's Chronicle, I guess Methos  
may have had Jean-Claude's mentor as a student. And you know that  
mentor-student bonds are the closest Immortals have to a family," Tom  
said. "I'll see your five and raise five more."  
"Too rich for this hand," Zax said. "So, Adam, you tracked  
Methos down to 1754 France. Anything more current?"  
"No. Although Kalas seemed to think Methos was real and in Paris.  
He killed two Watchers to find me.... To see if I knew where Methos  
was. At that point, all I could've told him was that I had a lead that  
he may have been in the Crusades." Adam said. "I meet your five more  
and call."  
"Round goes to Adam, again," Charles said disgustedly. "So  
Doctor, how's the Origins Project going?"  
Adam looked interested in what Zax would say and he was  
disappointed when Zax said, "Poorly. Backtracking all known Immortals,   
who are under fifty years old, we discovered that none of them have   
actual birth records. Their adopted parents usually make those up in   
their own names so that was a bad lead."  
"Are you saying that Immortals aren't born? Aren't Human?" John  
Xing asked excitedly.  
"No, I didn't say that," Zax said. "All the bodies that we've   
taken to study, we've taken a genetic sample of. Three different,   
independent labs could not find any *major* genetic deviations from   
homo sapien normal."  
"So you're saying Immortals *are* human?" Adam asked quickly.  
"Yes, Immortals are human with minor genetic anomalies, that we  
know gives an Immortal a much greater immunity system than normal," Zax   
answered. "Natural mutations that's our current theory. Two cards, please."  
"Could this 'minor genetic anomalies' be duplicated? Giving us,  
'normal' humans, longer lifespans like the Immortals?" Charles asked.  
"I'll take one card."  
"Doc gets two cards. My husband, who's not sharing his fortunes  
with his wife, gets a card, and dealer takes two cards. Me, I'm happy   
with my allotted time. Things are more precious when there's a finite   
amount to them," Mary said. "How many cards, John?"  
John sighed and said, "Three cards, please. I agree with Mary,  
all the people in the history books are Mortal. What have Immortals  
done?"  
Tom answered, "Of direct historical significance, none.  
Indirectly, quite a bit. Darius, for example, not only taught  
Immortals but he also taught some Mortals as well, through the  
centuries. Victor Paulus was one and there were others that came to   
him for help and understanding. Two cards, please."  
"Two," Mike said. "When Joe gets back in two days, let him deal  
with the books. I hope Horton gets what's coming to him."  
"Huh?" John said.  
"It was Horton and his 'gang' that killed Darius. Called  
themselves the 'Hunters.' Renegades, oathbreakers, and insane, one  
and all. Most of the Immortals that know about us was because of  
Horton killing Darius and those other Immortals," Adam stated. "No  
cards."  
"But Dawson hadn't go make friends with one of *them*," Charles  
said.  
"Damage control," Zax replied. "Would you want Duncan MacLeod of  
the Clan MacLeod to think we all are killers, who *interefere* and stalk   
Immortals?"  
"Well... no," Charles said.  
"There you go. Besides, most field agents get lazy after a time  
so there must have been slip up before," Zax said. "Raise five."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
[Local Hotel,  
11:00 am, September 11, 1996]  
  
"Well, one possibility is that Ray's after Methos, who's here  
when he should be in Paris, or he's after Jean-Claude who's looking  
for Mac for some reason. Methos's five thousand plus and Jean-Claude  
is over seven thousand and both are good swordsmen. I don't know if Ray  
would think he could take either of them," Richie said. "And MacLeod   
will be back tomorrow afternoon with Joe."  
"The fact that Methos is not where History recorded him should  
indicate that minor changes to the Timeline have already occurred.  
Should not that be our starting point?" Data asked.  
"He's got a point. According to Adam Pierson and Sam Martin's   
reports, Methos should be in Paris with Amanda at this moment in  
time," Jo Ann said.  
"If we find out what the change is, maybe we can find Ray,"  
Richie replied.  
  
[=== End of Part 2 ===] 


	3. Chapter Three

Lessons Learned  
by Shaule Sachs  
Part 3  
  
#include   
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  
  
[Local Hotel, Seacouver  
10:00 am, September 13, 1996]  
  
"What do we have?" Richie asked himself and his companions.  
"Three tricorders, three phasers, three..." Data began.  
"Sorry, Data, I meant 'What do we have'... in the form of  
information and changes to the Timeline," Richie corrected.  
"You saw Methos here, when he should be in Paris," Jo Ann said.  
"There is an anomaly in the Timestream that started at some point  
in this time frame," Data added.  
"Which Ray caused somehow," Richie said. "I'm still not sure how  
he got back here in the first place."  
"Could he have used..." Data began.  
"No! It's one of the biggest secrets that the Federation has,"  
Richie said. "Only a handful of StarFleet officers and scientists know  
about it."  
"Could we use..." Jo Ann tried.  
"Yes, we did. How do you think we got here," Richie asked.  
"Oh," Jo Ann said.  
"Any other anomalies exist?" Data asked.  
"Yes, John Smith had an 'accident' yesterday," Richie said.  
"So?" Jo Ann asked.  
"And here I thought you knew my Chronicle by heart," Richie  
joked. Seriously, he said, "John Smith won the fifth race in the  
Original Timeline. Yesterday was the fourth. In the fifth race, Smith  
cut me off, which sent me into a dive, although I'd completely healed  
in a day, I stayed out of the races for a week that it would have take  
for a 'normal' person to heal enough to continue to race. I spent the  
next week racing and the third week checking L.A. out. So, it's a  
change to the Timeline. Besides the 'accident' is questionable if  
someone had a disrupter and targeted Smith's back tire."  
"So you think that Mister Mountana engineered the 'accident?'"  
Data asked.  
"No. Doesn't make sense. If anything, Ray would want me here,"  
Richie answered after thinking for a moment. "I don't think I'm a  
possible target here."  
"Then who?" Jo Ann asked.  
"Back to Methos or Jean-Claude, I guess. Although, now, Duncan  
and Joe are back from Toronto, so we have to add them to the list of  
possible targets," Richie said.  
"Have there been any anomalies with the Immortals, outside of  
Methos being here," Jo Ann asked.  
Richie looked at Data, Data looked at Richie, who shrugged, and  
Data said, "Unknown."  
"But I know where we can find out," Richie said.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
[Joe's Bar  
3:00 pm, September 13, 1996]  
  
"Miss me?" Joe asked with a smile.  
"Yes! You figure out the books," Mike said from behind the bar.  
Joe walked behind the bar, looked at the books, and said, "How's  
business?"  
"The Bar's been doing a little less than average," Mike said. In  
a low voice and after a quick scan of the room, which had only one  
occupant, said, "With MacLeod gone, Immortal activities have been low  
for the first three days. It picked up with Jean-Claude's arrival on  
the Eighth. I put his Chronicle on your desk in the office, under  
some of the bills. We haven't figured out why Jean-Claude came here  
from Seattle but Tom doesn't think it as anything to do with MacLeod.  
Also, there have been two uncounted for Quickening in the surrounding  
area. We can't find the bodies of the two losers. Nor do we have any  
clue as to who the victors were. Other than that, not much happened  
while you were gone."  
"Thanks, Mike," Joe said. He picked up the books and headed to  
his office. He leaned against the doorpost and asked, "Anything else?"  
Mike thought a moment and said, "The new kid, Xing, thought he  
saw Richie Ryan, downtown, even though Thomson positively located Ryan  
in Los Angles. Xing's description of Ryan was good, except he said Ryan  
had gray temples."  
"And Immortals don't age, so ..." Joe said.  
"Yeah, except Xing swears he never saw Ryan before," Mike  
answered. "And, aside from the gray temples, his description was  
accurate."  
"Oh? But where do people get gray temples except aging, which  
Immortals don't do," Joe replied back.  
Mike just shrugged and gave Joe a look that said 'You're the  
boss. It's your problem.'  
  
It was after five before the crowds started coming to Joe's. Most  
had come to see the band that would be playing at six but not all had  
come to see the band. Some, like Charles and Mary, were waiting for  
Tom, who was Watching Jean-Claude, who was downtown. Once Tom returned  
with Xing, they would join Charles and Mary, and talk some shop under  
the music until the band and the crowd left. At which point, the four  
would be joined by either Mike or Joe, with the other manning the bar,  
for a card game and more shop-talk when the bar was empty.   
The band had been playing for over forty-five minutes when a  
woman entered the bar. Joe noticed her since he was manning the bar   
and happened to be looking up at the moment. The Watcher in him noted  
that she was five and a half feet tall, about normal weight, and had  
blonde hair with blue eyes. Joe thought she looked familiar but he   
couldn't place the face. Joe simply shrugged and thought, // If she's  
important, I'll remember. //  
Jo Ann did a quick look around to familiarize herself to the place.  
// Rick was right, // she thought. Regardless of what Rick had said, she  
will always think of him of Rick or Professor Ryan, not as Richie, not   
Richard, and definitely not rI'Da, son of Kahless.   
Although there were obvious differences, Jo Ann went like she just   
walked into Joe's Grill that served as an off-Academy grounds   
'hide-away' for the Faculty of Starfleet Academy. Of course, it was   
Professor Ryan that started the tradition when the Academy first opened   
and the other faculty members needed a place to get away from the cadets.   
It would take an hour and a half to reach Joe's Grill by hovercar but   
the invention of the transporter makes it possible to travel the same   
difference in mere seconds.  
Jo Ann was unsure how to proceed. Through observation, Jo Ann  
noticed that any customers that approached the door to the office was   
intercepted by Joe at the bar. The question was how was she, a Watcher   
not listed in the current time's database, would get access to the computer   
in the office. The answer came from an unexpected source. The man with   
white hair seemed familiar to Jo Ann but she could not place him. Not   
that it mattered since he had engaged Joe in a conversation that kept him   
from seeing Jo Ann enter the office.  
Once inside, Jo Ann used her tricorder to record the magnetic  
fields inside the computer's hard drive thus copying all the data inside  
in a matter of seconds. Not bothering to check the information, Jo Ann  
hid the tricorder and stepped out of the office. Seeing that the white  
haired man was wrapping up the conversation and that she was still close   
to she office, Jo Ann decided to throw suspicion off of her by ordering  
a drink. Unfortunately, Jo Ann was used to synthol not actual alcohol,  
so the simple beer hit her harder than a harmless synthol would.  
Jo Ann could only nod her head when the white haired man offered  
to help her home. As they approached the hotel that She and the  
Commodore had set up as 'field headsquarters' the feeling that she knew him  
grew. However her puzzlement also grew as she realized that she had not  
told the stranger her name or where she was staying, yet, the stranger  
called her by her full name, 'Josephine Anna,' and seems to understand  
her unfamiliarity with alcohol.  
  
"What happened to you?" Richie asked upon seeing Jo Ann.  
"I had a 'beer,'" she replied. "I wanted to try one."  
Richie simply shook his head, handed the tricorder to Data, and  
told Jo Ann, "Why don't you go take a shower. It'll help. A little."  
Jo Ann nodded her head and went to the bathroom.  
Data had begun to examine the copied data but stopped when Richie  
asked, "How long until you can spot the anomalies?"  
"Unknown," Data replied. "As you know, Terran historical records  
before twenty-one twelve are limited and highly suspicious and the   
Watcher's records before that are scarce. However, I will compare these  
records to the one in my memory banks."  
Richie nodded, suspecting as much, so he said, "Still, it's worth a  
shot." After thinking for a moment he added, "You can limit your search   
by ignoring anything dated before a month ago. A month is the maximum  
date that Ray could have arrived here."  
"Aye Sir," Data responded.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
[Joe's Bar  
9:50 pm, September 13, 1996]  
  
"Well," Joe began. "Who wants to deal?"  
"I'll deal," Adam Pierson said. Joe handed him the cards.  
After playing a few hands Zaxxon asked John, "So, who's your first  
assignment going to be?"  
"I don't know," John Xing replied.  
At seeing Zaxxon's face Charles Smith answered, "It was going to be  
'Terra Woring,' but she's dead."  
"What?" Adam said.  
"Happened this morning," Joe answered. "Some unidentifiable Immortal  
killed her while she was on her way to work."  
"Funny thing is," Charles added. "There wasn't the usual  
Quickening. We know that our mysterious /friend/ is an Immortal because   
when he left, Don could tell that all of his wounds were healed. Yet  
there was no visible Quickening."  
"Understandable," Zaxxon asked. "I mean... Terra is ... was a  
*young* Immortal. Only took a *single* head in her seventy-five years.   
Was a nurse during the World War Two when she had her first 'death.'   
Been a nurse, later a doctor, ever a /fighter./"  
"Easy kill," Adam replied. "Still.... How come we can't identify  
the Immortal? I thought all the Immortals were in the Chronicles."  
Charles, Mary, and Zaxxon snorted. Charles said, "If you believe  
that, Adam, you are sadly mistaken."  
"Only about eighty percent of the currently alive Immortals are   
known to us," Mary said. "Immortals that existed before the turn of  
the millennium or have stayed out of the Game, are only known as   
'mentioned' from what we know of the known Immortals."  
"That and the legends we overhear," Charles said.  
"Any way," Zaxxon said. "Deal, kid."  
  
[=== End of Part 3 ===] 


End file.
